Dietetics Students’ Experiences and Perspectives of Storytelling to Enhance Food and Nutrition Practice

Within the formal setting of professional dietetic practice, storytelling may be used to communicate factual nutrition information in a way that acknowledges the socio-cultural and emotional experience of food, eating, and the body. Previous research has suggested that storytelling enriches undergraduate nutrition students’ understanding of information, critical thinking, and problem solving skills, uncovers prejudice and diversity, fosters emotional connections that lead to increased mutual respect, and brings the social and cultural context of professional dietetic practice to life. Dietetic educators, however, seldom incorporate narrative as a learning tool in the undergraduate nutrition classroom. To explore the possibilities of doing so, this study asked undergraduate dietetic students about their experiences with and perspectives on storytelling via a qualitative survey and focus group interview. The results indicate that storytelling can help students connect the academic and hands-on aspects of dietetic training and practice, can help bring about shifts in power among students and educators, and may allow students to develop their dietitian persona as they find their professional voice.